Tropical cyclone: Public holiday declared in Karachi

• Commissioner Karachi announces public holiday today as the Met Office predicted widespread rains Friday to Saturday. 
• Commissioner wants all commercial, educational activities in Karachi to be shut down.  
• Tropical cyclone Shaheen is gathering force in the Arabian Sea. 

As a cyclone builds up in the Arabian Sea and threatens to trigger heavy rain and thunderstorms in the city, the Commissioner Karachi has declared a public holiday in the metropolis for today. 

The commissioner said in a notification that all government offices and businesses in Karachi will remain closed today.

"All offices, educational institutions, and businesses will remain closed except essential services, businesses and government offices engaged in rain emergency relief activities," states the notification issued by the commissioner Karachi.

"In view of the recent weather advisories issued by the Pakistan Meteorological Department and Provincial Disaster Management Authority, Sindh about the anticipated tropical cylone Shaheen, Friday, October 01, 2021 is declared to be a public holiday in Karachi division."

Besides, the Karachi University has also cancelled all examinations scheduled to be held today. According to Controller Examinations Dr Zafar, the new date for the examinations will be announced later, as the Sindh government had earlier today announced the closure of all educational institutions across the province.

According to Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah, educational institutions will remain closed today due to inclement weather and heavy rains.

The Met Office has forecast moderate to heavy downpours and possible isolated heavy rains from Friday to late Saturday under the influence of deep depression over the Arabian Sea that is likely to convert into a tropical cyclone today.

The Met Office forecast “widespread rain and thunderstorms with scattered heavy to very heavy rainfall that could also turn into extremely heavy rain with squally (strong) winds in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Thaparker, Umerkot, Sanghar, Shaheed Benazirabad, Nosheroferoz, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allayar, Dadu, Jamshoro, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad, Shikarpur and Ghotki districts from Sep 30 to Oct 2 (Thursday to Saturday).”

The Met Office also cautioned fishermen not to go to the open sea till October 3 [Sunday] given “very rough” conditions in the Arabian Sea.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has assigned duties to ministers to supervise relief and rescue operations. The Excise and Taxation Minister, Mukesh Kumar Chawla, was tasked to monitor the situation in Karachi’s South District, Minister of Labour, Information and Human Resources Saeed Ghani, East District, Spl Asst to CM on Inter-Provincial Coordination Taimur Talpur was assigned Korangi while Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza and Minister for Zakat and Ushr Sajid Jokhio would look after Central and Malir districts respectively.